Paralyzed
by AntiSora
Summary: Aster wakes in the middle of the night. And he can't move or breathe. Written because I needed some Richter/Aster, and there's not enough love for either of the characters here.


Oh hay thar. Lookie, I uploaded something! :D Yes, I know I have other projects to work on. However, I was inspired (because this happened to me for the third time just yesterday, the second time this month), and wrote it up. It actually only took me like 17 minutes to write up, I'm normally a slow writer. XD Anyway, I was craving some cheap Richter/Aster fluffy goodness, and I wrote this. XD Hope you enjoy. (Reviews appreciated, and if you spot a typo... FOR THE LOVE OF MARTEL, POINT IT OUT TO ME. I hate them, and all typos must DIE. Well, most of them, anyway.)

**Disclaimer:** While I know these things hold all the legal weight of nothing, I shall now point out that I make no money from this, it is for my entertainment and for the entertainment of those whom enjoy such stories only, and I do not own the characters within this story. Richter and Aster are the property of Bamco. Trust me, if I owned Dawn of the New World then Marta would have died and Richter/Emil would have been the canon couple. And Aster would have been in the game more. A lot more.

Warning: There's implied Richter/Aster, if you don't like or can't tilt your head to see them as just friends (just imagine they only have one bed in their room, and Aster doesn't want Richter to have to sleep on the floor? and that Aster is a touchy-feely friend? XD) then please don't bother flaming-you have better uses of your time and I have better uses, too, than reading your flames. :|

* * *

He didn't know what woke him up. He couldn't move; it felt like something was pinning him down. At first he dismissed it, assuming his companion has simply rolled over on him in the night. It was when he tried to push said person off and found himself unable to move his arms that he felt the first twinge of fear. He opened his eyes. Or rather, he tried to, and found himself unable to even perform that simple task. The weight on his chest was feeling greater, it was hard to breathe. No, it was impossible.

In that moment, when he realized he couldn't move or breathe, he panicked. He struggled against his unresponsive body, trying to force himself to snap out of it. He tried to call out to his companion for help. Everything seemed to shift, as if something was climbing onto the bed beside him. A feeling of complete dread washed over him, as he sensed something sinister in the room.

His heart was pounding. If he'd been able to breathe, his breath would have come in quick, short pants of fear. He desperately tried to move, to make a sound, to _breathe_. Nothing, he was a prisoner inside his own body, suffocating while surrounded by breathable air. If he could have, he would have been trembling in fright. It seemed to last ages, the feeling of something sinister drawing ever nearer to him; he wanted to scream, to call for help, to cry.

"Aster…"

The sleepy mumble from the man beside him jolted him; he jerked, gasping, his eyes snapping open. He sat in the bed trembling, looking around warily to find himself alone save the sleeping half-elf beside him. He tried to slow his heart, taking deep calming breaths. After several moments he calmed down, the rational part of his brain supplying an explanation for the incident. _'Just… Just sleep paralysis… Okay… That's okay… I'm fine…'_ Still, even knowing what had happened he was still wary.

"G' back t' sleep…"

The sleepy mumble from a Richter who was still mostly asleep drew him from his thoughts, and he blinked down at him. Richter closed his eyes again as Aster settled back down. He wrapped one arm around the human, pulling the younger male a bit closer as he mumbled something incoherent.

Aster smiled faintly, any lingering unease dispelled as he snuggled closer to Richter, curling up against the half-elf's chest. A feeling of safety and peace filled him as he nuzzled gently against the other, feeling Richter's warm breath against his cheek, slow and steady—he'd fallen back to sleep. Aster closed his eyes, pushing the incident from his mind as he allowed himself to fall back into slumber.


End file.
